The relatively new field of copper-interconnect integrated circuits offers well known performance advantages, especially when the copper is combined with low-K or porous dielectric materials, such as amorphous carbon, FLARE and Naroglas, from Allied Signal and SiLK, available from Dow Chemicals. It has been found, however, that such a combination of materials is unexpectedly susceptible to corrosion from oxygen. The methods of blocking oxygen used in the prior art have proved to be ineffective, even though nitride and oxide are good barriers to oxygen, and an improved method of blocking corrosion is now required.